temperament with fifths and fourths.

[Brian Trout]

Hi Martin,

I can't answer all your questions but I'll put in my $.02

I started out trying to tune a fourths / fifths sequence.  I usually got 
frustrated in that the thirds and sixths in particular usually turned out 
more wild than I liked and without apparent rhyme or reason.  I'm sure there 
are those who have worked out systems of tuning in fourths / fifths style 
that do cause the other intervals to line up.  I've never been able to do it 
to my satisfaction, which is why I tune mainly thirds and sixths to 
establish my temperament.

I might say that if you're trying to establish an ET (equal temperament), 
most of the successful systems I've seen are using mostly thirds and sixths 
to do that.  If you are tuning in an unequal temperament / historic 
temperament, you might find that the fourths / fifths methods might be 
better, I don't know for sure not having done it myself.

If you are using TuneLab to establish your temperament, you are probably 
coming pretty close to where you're intending to be.  It might be helpful 
for you to do a lot of listening to what you've tuned after you've tuned it 
to try to learn what those intervals you desire to become second nature to 
you sound like.

You ask if what you tune on one piano will be the same on another piano.  In 
most cases, no.  Different pianos will display different characteristics.  
One may require much more stretch than another to sound good.  One may have 
many more inconsistencies particularly in the low tenor and upper bass 
region where the lower end of a lot of temperaments are.  Each piano is 
pretty much a new ballgame.  The principles are the same but the tunings 
will likely be unique.

There are a number of good temperaments out there, both ET and unequal and 
there are some good methods to achieve them.

If you're shooting for an ET, consider trying to learn the 
Baldasin-Sanderson temperament (I think that's the name) or something 
similar.  If you're wanting to learn the EBVT, check in with Bill Bremmer.  
If you're interested in a number of other historic temperaments, check with 
Ed Foote.  I think those guys can point you in directions which will put you 
on the right track.

But I know it's frustrating trying to tune a short series of notes, 
expecting it to come out right and it never doing so.  Been there, done 
that, got the tee shirt.

Good luck,

Brian Trout
Slidell, LA
trouts_place@hotmail.com

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